A Place To Lay Your Head
by Serene Cullen
Summary: After banishing Kalona and Nefret to some unknown location Zoey revisits her HON but after her long trip home she's tiered and needs rest unfortunately she can't find a room anywhere until she tries a certain ex


A Place To Rest Your Head

_Finally_ I thought to myself _all of this is over and I can go back to being normal!_ I thought excitedly. I stopped myself before I got too excited. _No it's not over, Nefret and Kalona are just in hiding but it's more than before. On top of that though_ I thought to myself _I'm now headed back to my old school where everyone thinks that I'm evil and that Nefret is Nyx and Kalona is Erubus. _I sighed as I pulled my fingers threw my hair and rested back on the chair of the hummer that was driving us towards my old House of Night. Stark sat next to me and Darius was driving, Aphrodite riding shot gun of course. My other friends were in the other car except for Erin Bates who sat on the other side of Stark. The new couple was holding hands next to me and trying to be discreet for my sake I assumed. I mean ya Stark was a sweetheart and maybe under different circumstances I would have been jealous but since losing Heath I couldn't think about that. I groaned inwardly _Erik's waiting there too_.

When we drove up to the drive way and no one stopped us at the gate. We went into the parking lot and unloaded from the hummer. The one with the others must have been a little farther behind us because I didn't see it follow us in. I walked through campus alone due to the fact that Erin and Stark were joining Aphrodite and Darius in a disgusting face sucking show of affection. I had reached the buildings where classes were held when a sudden wave of exhaustion hit me. I sat down on the bench that was nearby and put my head in my hands allowing myself a moment to think. I realized that in the morning I could go out and seek the teacher's help who had agreed to remain loyal to Nyx and her chosen high priestess. I would need to talk to them I knew that and I didn't even want to avoid it I was just so exhausted and I didn't want to deal with anyone until my mind was more clear and I had a chance to rest.

"Hey guys go ahead and rest for the night/morning and when the moon rises we'll meet with everyone else," I sent a text to all of my best friends.

I began to head to my old dorm room when I recalled that most of the students would probably be either in the lounge or around the dorm and when I went they would either be extremely rude to me or possibly even hurt me. I turned around desperately needing a place to lay my head. I went towards the teacher's dorms figuring that I may as well be the high priestess and as such I deserved the high priestess's room. I walked to her room and opened the door. I would have stayed there if not for the disturbing décor of the room. Chains hung from around the room and there was still blood everywhere. I scrunched my nose up and closed her door.

There was only one more room I could think to try. It shouldn't have been my first thought I should have thought of dozens of other rooms before this one. I should have rather gone to my own room before wanting to go to this one. I knocked on the door. This shouldn't have been a refuge.

"Hello?" Erik asked as his door opened.

"Hi," I said as I looked up at him.

"Zoey," his voice was cold and detached, he crossed his arms and leaned up against his doorway.

But however unattached he tried to be I couldn't take him seriously standing in the doorway in his boxers. I swallowed the laugh that was building up. I bit my bottom lip as I noticed how low his boxers sat and how well built he was. He had the beginnings of a six pack and his arms looked stronger than I remembered too.

"Well what do you want?" he asked not looking pleased.

"I'm exhausted and I'm looking for a place to sleep until moon rise."

"You have a room."

"I know but I'm really tiered and I don't feel like dealing with all of the people I'd run into there."

"Take up a teacher's room."

"I think that's what I'm trying to do."

"A different teacher's room."

"No one's is empty."

"Nefret's is."

"Chains and blood aren't my thing."

"Sleep with Stark."

"Don't feel like walking in on him and Erin."

"They're dating? I thought he was into you."

"Me too but ya they're together."

He paused thinking "fine come in," he said moving aside so that I could walk in. I walked past him but because of the small doorway I brushed against him and felt awkward as my own hand brushed against the skin just above his boxers. Both of us blushed and I quickened my pace into the room.

"Thanks for letting me stay here." I said as I grabbed a pillow from his bed a blanket that was resting over an armchair and threw the pillow down on the floor. I lowered myself down too and then pulled the blanket over me and tried to get as comfy as possible on the floor.

"What are you doing on the floor Z?" He asked as he closed the door.

I sat up and looked at him "what do you mean, where else would I sleep?"

"We broke up Z, because you cheated on me, but I still love you and I don't want you to sleep here on the floor." He walked over to me and held his hand down "come on I promise I won't rape you or anything like that." I giggled and took his hand he helped me to my feet and picked up the pillow and threw it back on the bed. I laid down and he took me into his arms I gasped at the show of vulnerability he showed me but didn't move.

"Zoey," he whispered into the darkness.

"Yes Erik?" I whispered back, I turned towards him and didn't blush in the slightest as my hands came into contact with his still bare chest.

"I don't know what any of this means or where this will take us. But I'm really glad you came to me when you needed help. And I'm not quiet over the whole Professor Blake thing yet and I don't think I'm ready for a relationship again yet either. But I'm ready for this if you'll let me." He bent his head down to me and kissed me lightly and then he moved his lips to my ear. "I forgive you Zoey."

I inhaled deeply and felt my eyes well up with tears. "Erik, I, do you really?" I clutched onto him tightly.

"Yes I do, and as long as you need a place to rest your head at night, my room is at your service."


End file.
